TEHRAN –Health Minister Bahram Einollahi is participating in the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) which is being held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 27 to June 1.

A total of 192 health ministers from World Health Organization (WHO) member states are attending the event.

The strategic roundtables span the overarching theme of the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly: All for health, health for all.

During the meeting, experts discuss and reflect on current and future priorities and challenges facing global health as per related documents, and the member states will express their ideas about each document, IRNA quoted Deputy Health Minister Mohammad Hossein Niknam as saying.

Einollahi will present a statement on 34 specific documents related to the country's health system.

Out of 34 documents, 25 are on general health activities, six focus on the activities of different departments, one titled 'The Global Health Initiative for Peace' is related to international cooperation, one addresses the health situation in the occupied territories [Palestine], and the last one pertains to the eradication of smallpox, Niknam noted.

In addition, other topics such as the budget and financial issues, the membership status of the member states, auditing, and issues raised in the executive board session of the WHO will be reviewed by specialized committees.

In the 77th WHA, a total of 70 topics will be discussed in the form of documents, he stated.

To promote collaborations, Einollahi is scheduled to hold meetings with his counterparts from different countries including Armenia, Pakistan, Cuba, Zimbabwe, China, the health ministries of the G5 countries, and the Director General of the WHO, on the sidelines of the WHA, the official further noted.

The WHA is the decision-making body of WHO. The main functions of the WHA are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed program budget.

Held annually in Geneva, Switzerland, it focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.

Health is a universal right

On April 7, Einollahi said, “Health is a universal right and responsibility that is not limited to any specific age group, culture, or nationality.”

All members of society from their childhood to old age have the right to access high-quality health services without financial worries.

Access to clean drinking water, soil, air, and food is a fundamental right and responsibility, the Health Ministry’s website quoted Einollahi as saying.

He made the remarks on the occasion of World Health Day 2024, calling upon decision-makers to create conducive environments for individuals to actively participate in creating and maintaining health, from home to the community and the environment.

Health services in Iran

Procurement of vaccine, the positive efforts of the health ministry facilitated the process of procuring the vaccine for the country, and with the help of the Iranian Red Crescent Society,  up to 10 million doses of coronavirus vaccine were brought into the country in each flight, accelerating immunization in the country.

Vaccination centers operated actively in the country; six different types of vaccines were produced and vaccines were imported.

Taking necessary measures, the health ministry successfully mitigated the pandemic.

 Free health insurance coverage, many individuals are covered by insurance free of charge, and many others benefit from discounts to receive health insurance services.

The Law on Family and Youth Support and the contribution of incentives for childbearing have resulted in offering free infertility treatment to couples to benefit from numerous services. There are about 400 hard-to-treat diseases. Currently, the number of diseases covered by insurance has reached 107. According to the authorities, the chance to come down with the rest of the diseases is so low that there are less than 100 cases of individuals suffering from them.

Family Health Program and Electronic Referral System is one of the most important priorities of the health ministry, designed and implemented to increase access to health services and strengthen the country's health network system.

According to the program, a health team comprised of two caregivers and a physician is responsible for 3,000 individuals.

Over the past two years, hospitals have been equipped with about 16,000 beds. Two hospitals with respectively 1000 and 821 beds were built.

Also, the first specialized hospital for children, named Hakim, after the Islamic revolution was built in 27 months.

About 79 other important hospital projects are also on the agenda, and between 8 and 10 hospitals with 1,000 beds are under construction.

The treatment of children under seven years of age is free of charge, and now medical centers are obliged to implement it.

Additionally, providing free services to improve the nutrition of pregnant mothers and their children, free cochlear implantation for deaf children for the first time in the country, and dispatching 2,800 doctors to deprived and less privileged areas are part of the offered services.

MT/MG